News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Fantasy rock duos: These go to 11 (or maybe 22)

I just came across this photo of Tina Turner and Janis Joplin performing at Madison Square Garden in 1969. It's Tina. And Janis. Together!

The photo is by Amalie R. Rothschild and is currently part of the Music and Fashion 1965–1975 exhibit at the Staley-Wise Gallery. Rothschild has taken some stunning shots of rock stars, many of which are included in her book Live at the Fillmore East: A Photographic Memoir.

I really can't fathom the idea of Janis and Tina on a stage together. Who needs caffeine (or whatever the crowd was on) with that kind of raw genius nearby? The idea of two talents and a microphone made me imagine some other rock duos (or folk duos or whatever-else duos) I'd like to see. Here are a few ideas. They may not really make much sense, but that's why I'm calling them fantasy duos.

Stevie Nicks and Amy Winehouse
"Rhiannon" meets "Rehab" — how great would that be? But Stevie might have flashbacks when confronted by Winehouse's in-your-face hedonism. She would make her cry, make her break down!

Ann Wilson (Heart) and Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane/Starship)
The decibel levels would be magic, man.

Feist and Erin Moran (A Girl Called Eddy)
They sort of have different flavors of the same voice anyway. And what a sweet sound it is.

Queen Latifah and Alicia Keys
I don't even know what I want them to sing. Oh, wait, yes I do: Everything.

Joan Jett and Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney)
I'd like to hear them take a stab at "Bad Reputation," or maybe S-K's "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone." They're the queens of rock and roll.

What about you — any fantasy musical pairings? It's hard to beat Janis and Tina.

  • scribegrrrl's blog
  • Login or register to post comments
  • perfectflaw75's picture

    Pure awesomeness...

    Years ago I saw Indigo Girls and Sarah Bettens (& K's Choice), and Melissa Etheridge and Bryan Adams duet. Pure Awesomeness.

    The funny thing is that my fantasy musical pairing is Erin Moran (I am pleasantly surprised you know her, too!) and Sarah Bettens. I think their voices will blend beautifully. 

    And Beth Hart and Biff Naked - and they can get fresh ink together, too ;)

    _ _ _ _ _

    "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (Dr. Seuss)

    VashtheStampede's picture

    I'm not as imaginative as you...

    But I think Pink and Joan would complement each other nicely.
    BijouxIce's picture

    Beth Hart and Biff Naked - Excellent pairing!

    Myself, I would love to hear a duet between Lisa Marie Presley and Melissa Etheridge.  I've envisioned it for a long time - ever since Lisa Marie's Playboy interview in which she said she could see herself as a lesbian, I've imagined her voice paired with some of my favorites.

    I'd also love a Diana Krall/k.d. lang duet or a Shirley Manson (Garbage) collaboration with P.J. Harvey.

    "Never explain, never complain." - Katherine Hepburn

    lightninjoe's picture

    Exactly.

    LMP and ME would be perfect. I've always loved both their voices. Lisa's first album came out right after my fourteenth birthday and I listened to it constantly. My parents took me to see her in Dallas in October 03 and still refer to that night as the time they "hung out with 3000 lesbians".
    Leenaomi's picture

    fantasy duos

    P!nk and Gwen Stefany,

    Alicia Keys and Joss Stone

    Madonna and Angelina Jolie Oh! Sorry we were talking bout music duos LOL

    I'd luv to see that.

    Traveler's picture

    Fantasy, right?

    Then I would love to hear Diana Krall and the late,great Nina Simone covering Simone's classic, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." aka: Ashley's Theme

    This song, for you younguns, is the seminal jazz-infused "yes, I was a dawg, yes, I slept with your best friend AND drank up all your single malt whisky which you hand-carried back from Ireland -BUT I didn't meeaann toooo 'cause underneath it all I am a goood person!" song.

    Not that I would know anything about that sort of behavior. *slurp* It's on iTunes, I'd link it for ya but I need to go put a whisky bottle in the neighbor's trash bin.

    Salzstreuerin's picture

    I know, I know!

    Even though I'm not so sure you know her... nevertheless...

     

    I think Björk and Nina Hagen(if you don't know here, listen to some snippets on amazon or something) would be sooo great and so weird at the same time.

     

    Anna

    _finn's picture

    brilliant. I was gonna say

    brilliant.

    I was gonna say something like

    joss stone and alice smith

    or

    goldfrapp meets belle & sebastian

    but hagen and björk are just too perfect and I guess that's why it's not true (yet).

    aurorlee's picture

    Tina and Janis, the real story.

    For anyone that cares:

    It was a Rolling Stones Concert.  Ike and Tina Turner were opening.  Janis Joplin was right there in the front row waiting for the Stones to come on.  She got so worked up by Tina that she couldn't contain herself and jumped up on stage.  The crowd freak out. 

    My mom has been telling me this story all my life because it was the best concert of hers.

    I would have loved to be there...

    avalaurent's picture

    I'm waiting for the love song duet between

    Alicia Keys and Beyonce, I went to the Ladies First concert and unruly fantasies about dressing room visits after the show were impossible to avoid.  Maybe a little Beyonce laying across Alicia's piano....you know the drill.

    JHB's picture

    How about this pair

    Pink and/or Joss Stone  with Janis Joplin (I know people compare voices of Joss and janis already)

    billytc's picture

    Maybe a trio with Lene Lovich...

    Salzstreuerin, so true. They would make a great duet -- "disco after disco..."

    It's funny you should mention it, since I was just thinking of Nina Hagen recently because of Merv Griffin (of all things!). I caught her once on his show and of course she talked about the UFOs. That only made me buy more of her albums.

    Bossasuz's picture

    The possiblities...I could go on and on...

    Latifah and Aretha...watch out suckas.

    Tracey Thorne (of Everything But The Girl) and Dusty Springfield...go ahead, break my heart.

    Jodie Watley and Kylie Minogue...I don't need sound, just dance.

    k.d. and Mama Cass...somehow I think they would rip it up.

    brazen's picture

    oh yes!

    Inspired!!! dunno about the Kylie/jodie one but the other three..... yes!
    mbth98's picture

    How supremely excellent

    This is a joyous occasion. Two of my favorite musicians in the history of ever, one Miss Carrie Brownstein and the ever lovely Leslie Feist, mentioned in the same blog entry. I knew there was a reason I love this place.
    DistantSun's picture

    Oh hell yes. Carrie and

    Oh hell yes. Carrie and Joan! Damn.

    Actually I'd love to see Sleater-Kinney doing something with Kim Gordon. That would just rock.

    Corin Tucker and Janis Joplin would make a good duet. And Jenny Lewis with Cat Power maybe.

    perfectflaw75's picture

    Patti Smith and Johnette Napolitano

    (from Concrete Blonde) would work for me, too. Musically. 

    _ _ _ _ _

    "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (Dr. Seuss)


    User login

    Recent comments

    After Ellen home page on logo online